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Hydrometer. Y No. 63.409. Patented April 2, 1867.

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EDWARD B. MCDOWELL AND THOMAS W. WILSON, OF PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA.

Letters Patent No. 63,409, dated April 2, 1867.

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TO ALL WHOM IT MAY CONCERN:

Be it known that we, EDWARD B. MeDowELL and THOMAS W. WILSON, of the city of Philadelphia, in the State of Pennsylvania, have invented a new and useful Selt`-Acting Apparatus for Showing the Strength of Spirituous Liquors at any Temperature, and for preventing the high and the low wines of a still from running into the same tank; and we do hereby declare that the following is`a full, clear, and exact description of the construction and operation of the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, making a part of this specification, and to the letters of reference marked thereon.

The nature of our invention consists in combining together, in any suitable case or box provided with linlet and outlet tubes for connecting it with a still and tank, a mercurial or other thermometrical tube, and a hydrometer with a balancing lever, substantially as hereinafter described, so that the variations in the temperature of the liquor in the box or case will not cause any variations in the position of the hydrometer, and at the same time allow the said hydrometer to be governed by the strength of the said spirituous liquor; and the nature of our said invention also consists in combining with the said lever, provided with the thermometrical tube and the hydrometer or float, arranged in the said box, as described, a valve adjustable in relaA tion to another outlet tube placed lower than the 51st-mentioned outlet tube, in such a manner that while the loat will not be varied by changes in the temperature of the liquor it will rise or sink in legitimate accordl ance with any changes in the strength of the said liquor, and consequently open or close, as the case may be, the valve, and thus change the direction or course of the liquor in its passage from the box or case for the purpose of preventing the high andthe low wines of the still from running into the same tank.

In the drawings, A B is the case or boxfand al Zi its inlet and outlet tubes in section, and the top ot' the box removed; C C the thermometrical tube; D the Heat or hydrometer, and E the lever connecting the two latter together; F the support for the lever; Gr the valve, and H its seat and discharging tube. The bor; A B is intended to be fixed permanently in a horizontal position, its inlet tube'a1 in connection'with the worm of a still, and its outlet tube-bl in` connection with a tank for receiving the high wines. The thermometrical tube C C is made of glass, and its larger cavity lled with mercury, so that the latter will extend by expanA sion along and upward in its smaller cavity in proportion to the increase of its temperature in the liquor, the smaller end of the tube being bent upward in `a curve concentric to the fulcra eI of the-lever to favor the return motion of the mercury as the temperature of the same is reduced. It is fastened in a metal socket, e2,- and has a metal band, c3, around it, to which the fulera. of the lever E are fixed soA as to bear on the support1 ing post F, which is adjustably ixed upright in the bottom of the box A B. The iloat or hydrometer D has a metal band, dl, around its stem, in which supporting pivots are fixed, whereby it is suspended freely on one end of the lever E, as shown. The lever E consists in part'of the thermometrical tube C C, and in part of a metallic bar which is bent into the form of an inverted U near its outer end, and supports within it by sus* pension the globular valve G, and connects with the socket e2 by a straight portion, e4, which is notched for a 'anovable weight, e5, suspended therefrom, as shown. The seat of the valve is formed in the upper end of the outlet tube H, shown in section, so that when the float or hydrometer D allows its end of the lever E to rise from the horizontal position shown, the latter will raise the valve G, and thus open the outlet tube H, which is intended to be connected to a tank for receiving the low wines. A throttle-valve will answer the same purpose as the globe-valve.

Operation.

The apparatus having been connected with and between the worm of a still and the receiving tanks, as described, and the lever E balanced, say in proof liquor, so that it will just close the valve G, the distillation is started and the high wines pass through the box A B to the high-wine tank, through the outlet tube 61, until the strength of the liquor in the box falls to a little below proof, causing the float or hydrometer to rise, and thus allow the lever E to lift the valve G and let the now low Wines continue to run through the tube H to the low-wine tank as they come from the still into the box A. B, thus preventing, as required, the high and the low wines from running into the same tank, the movements of the mercury in its tube,l caused by changes in'thc temperature of the liquor, counteracting any movements in the hydrometer from the same canse. By removing the valve Ur and the tube H the apparatus will be adapted lfor ascertaining the dit'- ferent degrees of strength of the liquor passing through the box A. B at any time, irrespective of the tempere ture, the hydrometer or iioat D being made with a longer stem, and graduated,l as indicated by the faint lines in this Apart of' the figure.

This is aver;r important apparatus to the Government for preventing many fraudulent distillations of' spirits, as it will effectually prevent the high wines from being `run into the loiwwne tank. And it is also important to both distillere and Government inspectors, as it will enable them to see the exact strength oi' the spirits running through the box at anyr time during the operation ot the still, irrespective ot' the temperature of the same. I

We do not intend to conne our apparatus to the particular form or materials of construction shown and esoribed, as these may be varied Without deviating:r from a proper application of the principle of its eonstruction and mode of operation; but having fully described our apparatus, and its mode of operation, what We claim as new therein of our invention, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-f i 1. We claim the combination of a thermometrical. tube and a hydromoter, with a balancing lever, the same being arranged to operate together, substantially as and for the purpose described.

2.' We also claim, in combination with the subject-matter of the above claim, the application of a valve to,

the lever, so that the said valve will be operated thereby in relation to the `outlet tube beneath it, substantiall; asl and for the purpose described- EDWARD B. MQDOWELL,

THOMAS W. WILSON.

V'itnesses:

Beni. Morrison, WM. H. Morrison.y 

